Many years ago, a wonderful coworker and friend got me the book あなたの知らない超絶技巧プログラミングの世界, English title “The World of Obfuscated, Esoteric, Artistic Programming”. (Literally translated, it is “the world of transcendental programming technique you don’t know”. I’m going to elide “technique” from hereon out, though.)

A discussion this morning with another wonderful coworker and friend touched on esolangs, and I mentioned this book by-the-by as related. This evening, it still on my desk, I re-read the introduction, and wow! It speaks a little bit to my thoughts of yesterday. I hope it’s fair use to quote it basically in full! A translation (as best as I can manage) follows; errors in it and transcription all mine. Original text copyright ©2015 遠藤佑介.

Let’s start with transcendental programming

This book introduces a new way to enjoy programming: transcendental programming. Transcendental programming is the play of using practical programming languages to create completely impractical things […] a kind of program unlikely to be of much use to anyone.

Traditional programming has naturally been associated with a practical perspective, but that can lead us astray. By turning away from earthly gain, we can savour the pure joy inherent to programming. Programs created with transcendental programming necessarily lack practical use, but the creation process itself brings all kinds of awakenings. For example, you may notice unexpected capabilities in everyday programming languages, catch a glimpse of some profound theory underlying programming, or get the opportunity to try algorithms and technologies you haven’t used before.

Someone like you who has gone out of their way to get an entirely strange book like this probably already finds programming fun. But why is it fun? Because you can make things you want to make? Because you can solve your own problems? I do think there is fun in these things. But I believe programming is fun because it is both “creation” and “research”. Creation and research are both enjoyable, even if they aren’t solving real-life problems.

Even if you feel that you don’t particularly like programming, or that you don’t want to program outside of work, by trying for a moment to forget about the obligations of practicality, you may find yourself feeling that programming is actually pretty fun.

And so it is that this book introduces the “useless programming” idea I have presented over the years, and the implementation techniques for it. Naturally, the contents of this book will not directly useful in your day-to-day life (nor should you try to make them so!). However, I believe I can communicate a different kind of enjoyment that programming can carry; let’s enjoy it together.

超絶技巧プログラミングをはじめよう

本書では、プログラミングの新しい楽しみ方、超絶技巧プログラミングを紹介します。超絶技巧プログラミングは、「実用的なプログラミング言語を使って全く実用的でないものを作る遊び」です。…このようなプログラムは、何かの役に立つことはないでしょう。

従来のプログラミングは「実用的」という観点がつきものですが、それは雑念です。俗世の利益を忘れることで、プログラミング本来の楽しさを純粋に味わうことができます。超絶技巧プログラミングで作られるプログラムは必然的に何の役に立ちませんが、作る過程でさまざまな「気づき」があります。たとえば普段使っているプログラミング言語の意外な可能性に気づいたり、プログラミングの背景にある深遠な理論を垣間見たり、使ったことのないアルゴリズムや技術に触れてみるきっかけになったりします。

この怪しすぎる本をわざわざ手に取ってくださったあなたは、たぶん、「プログラミングは楽しい」と思っている方でしょう。でも、なぜ楽しいのでしょうか？作りたいものが作れるから？自分の抱えている問題を解決できるから？そういう楽しさもあるとは思います。でも著者はプログラミングは「創作」であり「研究」だから楽しいのだと思っています。創作も研究も、特に実生活の問題を解決するわけではなくとも楽しいものです。

仮にあなたが「プログラミングをあまり好きでない」「仕事以外ではプラグラミングしたくない」と思っているようでも、いったん実用性を無視して現実のしがらみを忘れてみることで、プログラミングが実は楽しいものだと感じていただけるかもしれません。

ということでこの本は、著者が数年にわたって発表してきた「何の役に立たないプログラミングたち」と、その実装テクニックを紹介しています。当然、本書の内容が日々のプログラミング活動に直接役に立つことはないでしょう（し、役に立たせてはいけません）。しかし、プログラミングが隠し持つ別の楽しさはお伝えできると思いますので、ぜひ一緒に楽しんでください。

First heard the original in a TV ad for Elisa (short example) — for Australian readers, that’s the equivalent of an Optus commercial. Her voice caught me and I had to search for ages to find it. Discovered this live rendition yesterday and it’s just the most beautiful thing ever.

An-Marlen — on a spaceship

I don’t know what to feel without you
You and me together — that’s how it could be
Let me be in love up to my ears, flying in space
You and me together, that’s how it could be
Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you
And I can’t (get enough) of you

Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you
Let me be in love up to my ears, flying in space
You and me together, that’s how it could be
Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you

Maybe I need you
Every time I’m dancing among the stars
There you are
Let me be in love up to my ears, flying in space
You and me together, that’s how it could be
Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you

If not for those red roses
And evenings by your side
My hand in yours
On your spaceship
If not for those red roses
And evenings by your side
My hand in yours
On your spaceship
And I can’t (get enough) of you
And I can’t (get enough) of you

Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you
Let me be in love up to my ears, flying in space
You and me together, that’s how it could be
Life is like a movie and I can’t get enough of you
Life is like a movie and I can’t (get enough) of you
Life is like a movie and I can’t (get enough) of you
Life is like a movie and I can’t (get enough) of you
I don’t know what to feel without you
You and me together — that’s how it could be

An-Marlen — kosmoselaeval

Ma ei tea, mida sinuta tunda
Sa ja ma koos, nii võikski ju olla
Las olen kõrvuni armun’d, kosmoses lendan
Sa ja ma koos, nii võikski ju olla
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt
Ja ma sinust ei saa

Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt
Las olen kõrvuni armun’d, kosmoses lendan
Sa ja ma koos, nii võikski ju olla
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt

Võib-olla vajangi sind
Iga kord kui tantsin tähtede keskel
Sa oled seal
Las olen kõrvuni armun’d, kosmoses lendan
Sa ja ma koos, nii võikski ju olla
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt

Kui poleks neid punaseid roose
Ja õhtuid su kõrval
Minu käsi su käes
Sinu kosmoselaeval
Kui poleks neid punaseid roose
Ja õhtuid su kõrval
Minu käsi su käes
Sinu kosmoselaeval
Ja ma sinust ei saa
Ja ma sinust ei saa

Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt
Las olen kõrvuni armun’d, kosmoses lendan
Sa ja ma koos, nii võikski ju olla
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa küllalt
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa
Elu nagu filmis ja ma sinust ei saa
Ma ei tea, mida sinuta tunda
Sa ja maa koos, nii võikski ju olla

Original Estonian lyrics at the bottom. You can listen on YouTube.

to my friends

Come friends, and sit down,
I’ve wine and all the time in the world.
All I want now is to be with you,
laughing together.

When you find the time to show up
there’s no need to speak first.
We can just be there for each other
and at night we can watch the moon.

‘cause now I know that every day
I can give you a hand.
‘cause you’re here, you’re here, and I am too.
And I am too.

I’ve always had this habit;
longing, when I can’t see you.
And if not today, then tomorrow
I’ll be asking after you, determined.

I’m here for you, when you need me;
And when not, I’m here still.
I’ve two hands for embracing you,
And a song to sound ‘til the end.

‘cause now I know that every day
I can give you a hand.
‘cause you’re here, you’re here, and I am too.

And now I know that every day
we belong together.
You have my hands, my hands, and I have yours.
And I have yours.

Sõpradele

Sõbrad tulge ja istume maha,
mul on vein ja ilmatum aeg
sellel hetkel just teiega tahan
olla koos ja teha üks naer

Leidkem aega, et kohale tulla
Pole tarvis teil pruukida suud
võime lihtsalt üksteise jaoks olla
Kui on öö, näiteks vaatame kuud

Sest nüüd ma tean, et iga päev
võin käe teil anda ma
Sest te olete siin, olete siin ja mina olen ka
Ja mina olen ka

Mul on alati olnud üks komme:
igatseda, kui ma teid ei näe
Ja kui mitte täna, siis homme
küsin kindlalt, et kuidas teil läeb

Olen teie jaoks siis, kui on vaja
Ja kui pole, olen ikkagi
Mul on kaks kätt, olen kallistaja
Ja mu laul kõlab lõpuni

Sest nüüd ma tean, et iga päev
võin käe teil anda ma
Sest te olete siin, olete siin ja mina teie ka

Ja nüüd ma tean, et iga päev
võime kokku kuuluda
Teil on mulle käsi, mulle käsi ja minul teile ka
Ja minul teile ka

It’s pretty difficult to find this song anywhere, so I’ve uploaded an MP3 (16MB). Likewise, the original Japanese lyrics don’t appear to be online, so they’re included at the bottom of this post.

blue

Tell me why I was born (I need to know)
Words never fail to hurt me

All I want is to be important to someone
for something only I can do

I’m afraid, so afraid of being hurt; I can’t run from here
But I can’t just stop being me

I want to fly, fly, fly, fly
Soon, now, you’ll see

Is it fine, if I’m here? Someone, tell me.
I’m always searching for myself

I believe I can become something, surely,
but the unease is hard to shake

I’m so afraid of being hurt, and I can’t open my wings
But I just can’t stop being me

I want to fly, fly, fly, fly
Soon, now, I’ll take flight

All I wanted was to spend this time with you, peacefully
Why then does time refuse to wait for us?

Ao-青-

生まれたことの意味を教えてほしいよ（ほしいよ）
言葉がいつでも私を傷つける

私は私にしかできないことの何かで
誰かに私を必要としてほしいよ

傷つくのが怖くてここから動けんないけど
私は私であることを止める訳にはいかないよ

飛びたい　飛びたい　飛びたい　飛びたい
もうすぐさ　わかるよ

ここにいてもいいの？誰かを教えてよ
私はいつでも自分を捜してる

私は何にだってなれるはずさきっと
信じてるけど不安で仕方がないよ

傷つくのが怖くてここから飛び出せないけど
私は私であることを止める訳にはいかないよ

飛びたい　飛びたい　飛びたい　飛びたい
もうすぐさ　飛べるよ

私はただゆっくりとした時間を君と過ごしていたいだけなのに
どうして時間は私たちを待ってくれないんだろう

You can listen on ATLANTIS AIRPORT’s official YouTube. They’ve also put the original Japanese lyrics (Wayback) up on their blog

it happened during the movie

yes no, yes no, yes no
a cat’s eye is the signal

yes no, yes no, yes no
I’m not witty enough

mix the whites together
with your finger

turning, smoothly, around

spell it out for me, what they speak
because I want to read it
like a novel

give up / your eyes were diverted
do you hate me? hate this, that, everyone? right;
you think it’s fine if
everyone gets fucked up eventually
don’t you?

blue
stamp it “par avion”

the roar of the waves at night
you and me
running, laughing

not with you, not without you

the cheese of a pessimist

bite me
hurt me
if the memories flow

play the fool; a sad clown
tears all a lie
why?

i miss you

i want to meet soon
but my eyes are getting in the way

good night

cry
somehow
take a breath

i’m sorry

i will grant you anything
i will caress you softly
call my name, and
close your eyes
just close your eyes

like this, let’s go far far away
and paint the sky red
so please, don’t
tell me it was all just a dream
is this farewell?
everything seems just like in a cinema
yet realistic at the same time too

happy like this, i’m by your side
it’s not that kind of ending, y’know?